Technology May Be Misunderstood as the Cause of Poor Sleep
Recent analyses of sleep patterns across various cultures reveal that members of small, non-industrialized societies tend to get less sleep compared to their counterparts in industrialized regions. This challenges the widespread narrative that modern technology leads to decreased sleep quality.
Experts note that while individuals in Canada and the US frequently report issues with sleep, these complaints do not align with the evidence. A review of 54 global sleep studies indicates that perceptions of sleep deprivation may be misleading.
Common belief links the prevalence of devices like large-screen televisions and smartphones to a rise in sleep issues. However, many studies measuring sleep duration rely on self-reported data, which can be unreliable. Moreover, some investigations show stable or even increasing sleep patterns over recent decades.
More accurate research using tools such as activity monitors and brainwave measurements shows no significant decline in average sleep duration. For instance, a comprehensive review of 168 studies found no decrease in sleep over the last 50 years.
While these studies focused on industrialized nations, new research utilizing wrist-based activity monitors indicates that non-industrialized societies also exhibit surprising sleep habits. Hunter-gatherer groups such as the San sleep an average of 6.7 hours nightly, while the Hadza average 6.2 hours and the Bayaka only 5.9 hours. The Himba community in Namibia has the shortest reported duration at 5.5 hours.
Recent studies conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto Mississauga explored sleep patterns in both industrialized and smaller, non-industrialized communities, including Indigenous populations from various regions. An extensive analysis based on sleep measurements from 866 adults revealed that individuals in non-industrialized societies average 6.4 hours of sleep, while those in industrialized societies average 7.1 hours.
The findings also highlighted that individuals in non-industrialized communities spend 74% of their time in bed asleep, compared to 88% in industrialized regions, indicating a notable difference in sleep efficiency.
Additionally, the evaluation of circadian rhythms showed a higher average circadian function index score in non-industrialized societies, suggesting they may maintain more regular sleep patterns. Researchers attribute the increased sleep duration in industrialized settings to enhanced conditions that facilitate rest, such as improved safety and security at nighttime.
However, exposure to environmental cues that support circadian rhythms is less frequent in industrialized regions, which could contribute to the perception of poor sleep quality among individuals in these areas.
While questions remain about the representativeness of the study samples, researchers indicate that variations in sample sizes would unlikely alter the overall conclusions significantly.
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